2025 NFL Draft - 2nd Round Pick - Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE, Boston College

[Simpleton]

The thing with EZ is that his pass rush moves are really developed. I mean I kind of feel like as a pass rusher he should be ready now. I hate to bury a second round pick like that on the depth chart. But Fowler is a really good pass rusher.

There are different ways around using all of them with the formation, I'm just not sure if Eberflus will be creative enough to deploy it.

But ultimately even if Eze is your 3rd most used edge rusher, that's still a bunch of snaps for a rookie, and like with most rookies it'll probably take him at least a month or two to really acclimate.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

There are different ways around using all of them with the formation, I'm just not sure if Eberflus will be creative enough to deploy it.

But ultimately even if Eze is your 3rd most used edge rusher, that's still a bunch of snaps for a rookie, and like with most rookies it'll probably take him at least a month or two to really acclimate.

Yeah I don't doubt the players talent at all. I actually really like him. But I also recognize what a crowded DE room we have. I just hope that Eberflus finds a way to get this kid on the field. And honestly maybe spelling Parsons a little more would be a good idea if anyone can ever convince him to come off the field. He plays too many snaps in general.

 

[boozeman]

Yeah I don't doubt the players talent at all. I actually really like him. But I also recognize what a crowded DE room we have. I just hope that Eberflus finds a way to get this kid on the field. And honestly maybe spelling Parsons a little more would be a good idea if anyone can ever convince him to come off the field. He plays too many snaps in general.

I don’t doubt they get him as much action as he can handle. Our room is crowded, but he on talent alone jumps ahead of the Simple Sams and Wheats on the roster.

 

[boozeman]

They gave him #41.

 

[NoDak]

They gave him #41.

Stupid number for a pass rusher. But I doubt that will be his final number. They always seem to change after training camp cuts, unless you're one of the anointed numbers (88)

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Does Jerry realize he's not a cornerback

 

[ravidubey]

We have the Sam and Will for a 3-4 defense at this point

But the rest of our talent is purely 4-3.

This rushing talent added to Osa, Fowler, Williams, and Micah gives us a chance to do what the Giants did to Brady in the Super Bowl, putting pass rushers in at every DL position on passing downs— and even keep Micah off the LOS as a roving rusher.

 

[boozeman]

We have the Sam and Will for a 3-4 defense at this point

But the rest of our talent is purely 4-3.

This rushing talent added to Osa, Fowler, Williams, and Micah gives us a chance to do what the Giants did to Brady in the Super Bowl, putting pass rushers in at every DL position on passing downs— and even keep Micah off the LOS as a roving rusher.

With Eberflus on board, why are you bothering to talk about a 3-4?

 

[Simpleton]

We have the Sam and Will for a 3-4 defense at this point

But the rest of our talent is purely 4-3.

This rushing talent added to Osa, Fowler, Williams, and Micah gives us a chance to do what the Giants did to Brady in the Super Bowl, putting pass rushers in at every DL position on passing downs— and even keep Micah off the LOS as a roving rusher.

If they can cobble together a decent run defense and somehow get to 2nd and 8 and 3rd and 6 consistently they'll be in business with the pass rush talent they've put together.

I'd throw Solomon Thomas in there also, he has some juice as an interior rusher.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

We have the Sam and Will for a 3-4 defense at this point

But the rest of our talent is purely 4-3.

This rushing talent added to Osa, Fowler, Williams, and Micah gives us a chance to do what the Giants did to Brady in the Super Bowl, putting pass rushers in at every DL position on passing downs— and even keep Micah off the LOS as a roving rusher.

3-4 or 4-3 it all blends together these days. Teams run multiple fronts. Most of the time we probably won't run a 4-3 either because it's gotten to the point that you see more 2 LBer sets than 3.

But what I do expect is a really heavy rotation on the Dline. Keep the offense guessing by mixing in different guys all the time.

 

[boozeman]

3-4 or 4-3 it all blends together these days. Teams run multiple fronts. Most of the time we probably won't run a 4-3 either because it's gotten to the point that you see more 2 LBer sets than 3.

But what I do expect is a really heavy rotation on the Dline. Keep the offense guessing by mixing in different guys all the time.

With Parsons as the chess piece. I wonder how much 4-6 he remembers from Fat Rob Fuckface.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

With Parsons as the chess piece. I wonder how much 4-6 he remembers from Fat Rob Fuckface.

You could technically use EZ or Parsons at SLB and let them rush the passer. Which in the end isn't much different than a 3-4. Kneeland, Toia, Osa with Parsons at RE and EZ at LBer is all the same to me as a 3-4.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

You could technically use EZ or Parsons at SLB and let them rush the passer. Which in the end isn't much different than a 3-4. Kneeland, Toia, Osa with Parsons at RE and EZ at LBer is all the same to me as a 3-4.

True, but I doubt Eberflus would run that.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

True, but I doubt Eberflus would run that.

Shaq Leonard had 7 sacks as a rookie. Would it be that crazy to use EZ a bit like that?

Eberflus has rushed 5 guys at a pretty high rate if I remember correctly.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Shaq Leonard had 7 sacks as a rookie. Would it be that crazy to use EZ a bit like that?

Eberflus has rushed 5 guys at a pretty high rate if I remember correctly.

Can he play more like a LB against the run, though?

That's my only, not problem, but concern with the pick. I don't see how we play two sub-250 lb DEs on base downs. Edge rusher is such a high-value position that I'm not complaining, but I don't see how he's not just a situational rusher at least at first. And we already have Fowler doing that, too.

So to me, our base defense is basically the same as last year with all its problems. Sure, you hope Kneeland and Loofa are better in their second years, but still. And it's likely we won't even have Diggs. Toia might be our only real upgrade against the run, and he's still a seventh round rookie.

 

[ravidubey]

Can he play more like a LB against the run, though?

That's my only, not problem, but concern with the pick. I don't see how we play two sub-250 lb DEs on base downs. Edge rusher is such a high-value position that I'm not complaining, but I don't see how he's not just a situational rusher at least at first. And we already have Fowler doing that, too.

So to me, our base defense is basically the same as last year with all its problems. Sure, you hope Kneeland and Loofa are better in their second years, but still. And it's likely we won't even have Diggs. Toia might be our only real upgrade against the run, and he's still a seventh round rookie.

You are right, that we’re hoping EZ, a healthy Kneeland, some guy named James, the December return of Overshown, and our 7th round pick will somehow stop Saquon Barkley and the best offensive line in the country. Or Penei Sewell, Gibbs, and Montgomery.

It can’t while Mazi is up front. He’s transformed what had been a profound weakness into a cripplingly profound weakness, one that will be vehemently supported by our front office regardless of the results because he was a 1st round pick. Seriously, it’s like Mazi is not even there, and worse he’s in the way of his own players in the field, and certainly a progress stopper for players like Toia.

It is going to take years to recover from this 2023 draft bust

I had high hopes, but it’s clear our scouts and coaches don’t understand the position.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

It is going to take years to recover from this 2023 draft bust

Little dramatic? We sucked against the run before Mazi ever got here.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

That's my only, not problem, but concern with the pick. I don't see how we play two sub-250 lb DEs on base downs.

This is a little of the concern I see with EZ having an immediate impact. Fowler gets overlooked but he is a damn good pass rusher. And actually the Skins last year used him way more than just as a pass rush specialist. He logged more snaps with Washington on defense then he did in Dallas.

It's going to either take creativity or a heavy rotation to get all these guys on the field. But Kneeland was a second round pick who is excellent against the run. He got hurt last year but you'd sure as shit expect a second round pick in year two to be a significant part of the defense.

Also the 250 pound thing is a bit of a silly line to draw. Do you not think EZ can put on 3 or 4 pounds? I can do that with one or two days of bad eating. Now can he get to 260 without losing his freak change of direction? Not sure about that.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Also the 250 pound thing is a bit of a silly line to draw. Do you not think EZ can put on 3 or 4 pounds? I can do that with one or two days of bad eating. Now can he get to 260 without losing his freak change of direction? Not sure about that.

Right, the point stands even if he's 252 or 253 or whatever. Still very small for a 43 DE.

 

[ravidubey]

Little dramatic? We sucked against the run before Mazi ever got here.

Yes, hence the ‘profound weakness’ part

Now we’ve replaced whatever we had with a big sack of nothing, graded worst in the league at times. This big slow dude is just getting in his own team’s way. And now we can’t replace him, because the Joneses never admit failure